Women in the Bible by Theresa Zuber

I am so thankful for the women in the Bible! I read passages that help me to understand that not only am I a helpmate to my husband, but that God can use me as His servant in many ways.

Esther chapter 4 shows us that God positioned Esther so that she would have favor with the king in saving the Jewish people. Her uncle encouraged her by asking her “ And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Another passage tells us about Deborah a prophetess who was the leader of Israel. Read about her in Judges 4 and how God used her in a mighty way. Luke 24 (and the other gospels) recounts the women finding the tomb empty. Women were the first to discover this and were given the ominous task of spreading the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples.

Acts 2: 17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” Thank you Lord for Galatians 3 that declares “ 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Heavenly Father – author of my existence – help me to always be mindful of my place in your world. Help me to submit, to assist, to lead, to be still, to be bold – all as you have ordained for me. Mostly – give me the wisdom I need to follow YOUR lead so that all I do and say (and write!) is in accordance with Your will.

1 Peter 4:¹⁰Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Women in the Bible by Theresa Zuber

I am so thankful for the women in the Bible! I read passages that help me to understand that not only am I a helpmate to my husband, but that God can use me as His servant in many ways.

Esther chapter 4 shows us that God positioned Esther so that she would have favor with the king in saving the Jewish people. Her uncle encouraged her by asking her “ And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Another passage tells us about Deborah a prophetess who was the leader of Israel. Read about her in Judges 4 and how God used her in a mighty way. Luke 24 (and the other gospels) recounts the women finding the tomb empty. Women were the first to discover this and were given the ominous task of spreading the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples.

Acts 2: 17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” Thank you Lord for Galatians 3 that declares “ 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Heavenly Father – author of my existence – help me to always be mindful of my place in your world. Help me to submit, to assist, to lead, to be still, to be bold – all as you have ordained for me. Mostly – give me the wisdom I need to follow YOUR lead so that all I do and say (and write!) is in accordance with Your will.

1 Peter 4:¹⁰Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Mr. Basketball and Me by Susan Shull

Excitement and anticipation begins to build at our house around the end of October, and it has nothing to do with Halloween. We get fired up when the official opening day of college basketball practice arrives. Our family loves Fighting Illini basketball!

When the boys were growing up, game days were almost like holidays. We arranged our schedules around the basketball schedule, and we tried to watch every game together. When they were small, Brady, Brandon, and Brock would put on their jerseys, grab their nerf basketballs and the laundry baskets, and they would play up a storm while watching their favorite players on TV. After the games, if it wasn’t too cold, they would run to the machine shed and shoot hoops, practicing the moves that they just saw Kendall Gill or Dee Brown execute. As the boys left home to attend college, we watched the games with our phones beside us, calling to talk about fabulous plays and last second shots.

Game Day has calmed down considerably now. Brad and I don’t put on our jerseys or shoot hoops during the game, but we still love our team. There is one well-known announcer though who tends to get my blood pressure up. If you are also a college basketball nut, you may know who I am talking about. In the past, it didn’t matter who our team was playing, the only thing this guy wanted to talk about was his favorite team, the Duke Blue Devils or North Carolina. Do you know who I’m referring to “BABYEEEE!” ?

This season he has aggravated me for a different reason. Instead of Duke, North Carolina or another team, it seems to be every sentence he utters begins with “I”. He only wants to talk about himself! I was griping about it to Brad one night during a game, when God used Dick Vitale to convict ME! How many times do my sentences start with “I”? How many times do others wish I would quit talking about what I want, what I think, what I want to do? How many times do I make every situation all about me?

Some of the ladies at our church have just begun a new Bible study on the book of Esther. Wouldn’t you know it, I’ve been convicted again! This time by King Xerxes, an ego-maniac showoff who passed an edict affecting all the women of his kingdom just because he was embarrassed by his wife. Everything revolved around him.

Conviction from our Heavenly Father can sometimes come from the strangest and most unexpected places, can’t it? When God “speaks” to me, I try to listen even though I hate that awful feeling of disappointment and shame. And once again, I am so thankful for grace, forgiveness, compassion, and the love of my Savior as he continues to do a work in me.